Quick facts: Washington
- Disclosure statement
- Before work, residential jobs of $1,000 or more (RCW 18.27.114)
- Commercial jobs
- $1,000 or more but under $60,000
- Keep a signed copy
- At least three years
- Skip it and
- No lien claim, plus an infraction
- Record a lien within
- 90 days after you stop work (RCW 60.04.091)
Fees, rules and rates change, often on July 1 and January 1. Verify every item with the responsible agency before you rely on it.
Short answer: Before starting a residential job of $1,000 or more, a Washington contractor must give the customer a written disclosure statement and keep a signed copy for three years. Without it you cannot bring a lien claim, and it is an infraction. If you are not paid, a lien must be recorded within 90 days after you stop work.
Updated October 12, 2026. Requirements and fees change; confirm with the agency named on this page.
Liens are how Washington contractors get paid when a customer will not pay. But a lien is only as good as the paperwork behind it, and the paperwork starts before the first day of work. This guide covers the disclosure statement, pre-lien notices and the recording deadline.
What is the Washington contractor disclosure statement?
It is a written notice you give the customer before work starts. RCW 18.27.114 applies to "(1) Any contractor agreeing to perform any contracting project:" on residential property of four units or fewer "when the bid or contract price totals one thousand dollars or more" ($1,000), and on commercial work "when the bid or contract price totals one thousand dollars or more but less than sixty thousand dollars" ($60,000). The statement explains the contractor's bond, the customer's lien risk and related protections. L&I publishes a model disclosure statement on its registration page.
How long do you keep it?
Three years. The statute says "The contractor must retain a signed copy of the disclosure statement in his or her files for a minimum of three years" and produce it to L&I on request. Store it with the contract.
What happens if you skip it?
You lose your lien and you can be cited. RCW 18.27.114 says "No contractor subject to this section may bring or maintain any lien claim under chapter 60.04 RCW" for a contract the section covers unless you prove you gave the statement, and "Failure to comply with this section shall constitute an infraction under the provisions of this chapter." The section does not apply when you work for another contractor.
Do you need to send a pre-lien notice?
It depends on who hired you. RCW 60.04.031 requires most people who furnish services, materials or equipment to give the owner notice of the right to claim a lien, but it lists exceptions: "Notices of a right to claim a lien shall not be required of:" people who contract directly with the owner, laborers claiming only for their own labor, and certain subcontractors. If you are a sub or supplier, the notice generally protects work supplied within the 60 days before it is given, with shorter look-back rules for some residential jobs. The statute is firm about the result: "A lien authorized by this chapter shall not be enforced unless the lien claimant has complied" with it.
How long do you have to record a lien in Washington?
Ninety days. RCW 60.04.091 requires recording "not later than ninety days after the person has ceased to furnish labor," and the notice is recorded "in the county where the subject property is located." Miss the date and the lien right is gone, so track your last day on every unpaid job.
A paperwork routine that protects your lien rights
- Use a written contract on every job.
- On residential jobs of $1,000 or more, give the disclosure statement before work starts and get it signed.
- Keep the signed copy for at least three years.
- If you are a sub or supplier, send the pre-lien notice early.
- Write down your last day of work on any job that is not fully paid.
- Talk to a Washington construction attorney well before the 90 day deadline.
Your registration also has to be active: the statute requires you to tell the customer if your registration expires or is suspended or revoked before the contract ends. See renewal and the contractor bond guide.
This guide is general education, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm the current requirement with L&I and a Washington attorney before you act.
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Common questions
When do I have to give a disclosure statement in Washington?
Before starting a residential project of four or fewer units, or an accessory structure, when the bid or contract price is $1,000 or more. Commercial work from $1,000 up to under $60,000 is covered too. Keep the signed copy three years.
Can I file a lien if I did not give the disclosure statement?
No. RCW 18.27.114 says a contractor subject to the section may not bring or maintain any lien claim under chapter 60.04 RCW without proof the disclosure was provided. Failing to comply is also an infraction.
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Washington?
RCW 60.04.091 requires the lien to be recorded not later than ninety days after you stop furnishing labor, materials or equipment, in the county where the property is located.
Sources
Official pages checked on 2026-10-12.
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.114
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=60.04.031
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=60.04.091